Kids Having Kids

Kids Having Kids

Linnie, from one of the poorest areas of Washington, D.C., started having sex when she was only eleven. Girls from disadvantaged homes are three to four times more likely to have children. By the time Linnie was fifteen, she was pregnant. As soon as she found out, her boyfriend of five years left her. This is very common when it comes to teenage pregnancy. More teens are having sex and getting pregnant then ever before! These girls must decide what to do about their child, and that is a very hard decision!

There are about four million teens that are sexually active in the U.S. Only about half of them use protection. There are many influences in a young person's life. Mass media is a big part of the influence. Television displays twenty thousand scenes of suggested sexual intercourse. 94% are on soap operas between unmarried couples and teens. Some say that sexual education being taught in school makes it seem acceptable. It also makes teens think about sex more. Another reason that teens are having sex is because times have changed. For example, in the 1950s, pregnant teens were sent away for nine months to stay with distant relatives or to live in homes of unwed teen mothers.

Until the 1970s, pregnant teenagers were not allowed to stay in school, but now it isn't nearly as strict!

There are many effects of having sex and one is getting pregnant. The first step is to think about what to do with the baby. One of the hardest steps is telling your parents. Will they approve or disapprove? Should you even tell them? A lot of girls who become pregnant say that it was an accident and they didn't know think that anything would happen. If you have sex then you must know something can happen and you are risking having a child. If you decide to keep the child you must realize that your years of being a kid are basically over. You will have many more responsibilities as a teen with having a child then just a regular teen! You will have to get a job to support yourself as well as your child. That could even mean quitting school.

The solution to pregnancy for teenage girls is one of these choices: abortion, adoption, or raising the child yourself. No matter which is chosen, there will be an emotional cost.